The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-07-30

ed AGAIN.
".No, num- said Ellen. It's worse
nor the boiler. It's the divil up in the
library. a-thumpin' and bangin'
around
".Nonsense!' said l severely. IT 10
probably q window-shade blowing
against the SASH
".But the windys are all down.
mum; I went up meself to see. Sure
you're not a-goin' in!' for had put
my latch-key in the door.
".Of course l am going in I re.
piled. II you and Norah are afraid to
20 in at the kitchen door. you may
come in with me and go down the in.
! side stairs and l proceeded to enter
the hall, which was beginning to be o
trife dark. l went directly into the
library, followed by the girls at a re.
spectful distance. Everything seemed
all right. Even the goldfish in the
aquarium by the window swan lszily
around, as if undisturbed by any evil
spirit.
"'Oh, he's quiet enough when any
body's about said Norah. Didn't !
try three times to catch the varmint?
and livery time whan l got here he was
gone. Just you come downstairs a bit
if you want to hear it.
II followed her down to the kitchen,
more for the sake of the fire than to
escape meeting the personal devil. in
whom I had little faith. But. sure
enough, we were hardly downstairs
when a tremendous humping sent me
back to the library as fast as l could
60. Every thing was absolutely as it
had been before. Bafled. l returned
below stairs. Norah stood in the door
triumphant. Didn't l tell your said
she. It's for all the world like the
spirits at the see-unces downtown last
winter
"Neither Of the girls could be in.
duced to spread the %dinner-table in the
dining-room, which adjoined the Ii.
brary, SO l went up to do it myself,
stipulating that they should bring in
the dinner when MI. Massinger came
in. At irregular intervals the rapping
continued; but though rushed to the
door several times, l seemed always
too late. At last / heard Ned on the
porch. Imet him just inside the door
with the announcement that there was
a ghost in the library.
".Well,' said he. cheerfully, what
is it like?'
Ellen says it's 'the devil" and
Norah describes it as being like the
spirit-rappings she heard in Prot.
Hunting's "seeunces." haven't any
well-defined theory of my own 1t is
certainly II curious noise
ooh! it's only u noise! Well, give
me some dinner. aud l will hunt
spooks with the greatest pleasure in
the world
''In a few moments We sat down to
dinner. Ellen almost upset the soup
as she brought it in, on account of a
sudden and violent manifestation in
the next room. She r~etreated rapidly,
looking over her shoulder at the library
door. Ned smiled, but did not move,
except to dish the soup. A little later
a few more brisk raps made him drop
his napkin and hastily rush to the
library door. As usual, he was too
late; so he finished his dinner with
stony determination. though with less
appetite than he had boosted of.
.'By this time the intervals of silence
had become much longer, and the raps
weaker and less regular. When We
entered the haunted room.' as we now
jokingly called it, we sat down to pa
tiently await the result. Soon the
noise was heard. 1t had formerly
seemed to come from various direc-
tons, but could now be easily traced
to the old mahogany corner-cupboard,
which has for years held Ncd's ances.
trail china. You know the doors are
glass, so that the whole inside Of the
cupboard can be seen at a glance. Ned
tried to push a slip of paper behind it,
but failed.
"'That must be a pretty thin ghost,
Nellie said he. Il know that that
cabinet has not been moved within my
remembrance, but it must come out
tonight Help me with this china
"Reverently we carried that china to
the furthcst corner Of the room, as il
we expected II struggle. Ned I'm.
screwed the cabinet, and with a
mighty pull we moved it out.
There, under the cabinet, lay our
ghost. Old Scalyback, the veteran of
the aquarium, had escaped. and was
paying the penalty Of his crime before
our eyes. When first out of water his
vigorous struggles had alarmed the
| girls, who had failed to see him, as !
| also had. on the red library carpet.